MovieChat Forums > On Deadly Ground (1994) Discussion > Comment, Observation, Question

Comment, Observation, Question

posted 18 years ago by letyaga3682
5 replies | jump to latest

COMMENT: I've no idea why this flick has such a low rating: a cool brawl in a bar, picturesque scenery, pro-environment message, Caine as a dyed-haired villain, R. Lee Ermey as a military guy - what else do you need? This film is one of Seagal's all-time classics, up there among Above the Law, Marked to Death, Under Siege (both parts), as compared to this *beep* he's in now: Today you die(??!) Or the one where flies like Neo on computer-erased wires shining his samurai katana. Solid action! OBSERVATION: I've just seen an episode of "Frasier" where he had his toilet broken and they invited plumbers. Lo and behold! The plumbers are none other than John C. McGinley and Mike Starr, playing brothers - 2 baddies from ODG. Neat, eh? QUESTION: It's been a while I saw this movie, and it was just recently that I discovered what a nice actor Billy Bob Thorton is. But I can't quite put my finger on who he plyed in ODG. Throw me a bone here. Cheers, and take care.

--- TOUT IRA BIEN ---

[–] lionelhutz850402002 18 years ago

Totally agree my friend. This movie rocks the socks! This has to be looked at as one of the most classic action films of all time!

[–] Mr. Majestyk 18 years ago

On Deadly Ground was well photographed, I'll give it that. But that's the domain of the cinematographer, not the director.

Do people really like ODG in a non-ironic way? As if it were an actual film, not a vanity project/camp classic of the highest order? I've never seen a movie so retarded take itself so seriously. And that's what I love about it. When Seagal infamously asks, "What does it take to change the essence of a man?," he's not kidding. He really, really wants the audience to think about it. He thinks he's posing this grand Zen riddle that will help people look inside themselves and find redemption. Let's not forget that he just demolished a roomful of rednecks for mocking a drunken Native American, who himself is as grotesque a stereotype as I've ever seen in a film. But that's Seagal for you. He's an mass of entertaining contradictions: an environmentalist who swaddles himself head to toe in leather; a peacenick who kills and maims sadistically; a liberal who works for the CIA; a martial artist with love handles; a ladies man with no charm; a man's man with a ponytail; a nature lover with a pseudo-Brooklyn accent. Once you figure out that it's impossible to like the man, you can't help but love him.

And please don't make mistake me for a troll. I am a Seagal fan. I own every movie he made up until Fire Down Below, his most underrated film. But I'm a fan because he's so ridiculous. I love him the same way hipsters love Neil Diamond. I was sure that that was the only way possible to enjoy Seagal in this more enlightened day and age. But after reading several message boards, I guess I'm wrong.

[–] ThingyBlahBlah3 18 years ago

I love him the same way hipsters love Neil Diamond. I was sure that that was the only way possible to enjoy Seagal in this more enlightened day and age. But after reading several message boards, I guess I'm wrong.

Welcome to my world. Seagal's ouevre is a treasure trove of guilty pleasures. And I once thought as you did, too, thinking that it must be impossible to genuinely enjoy his movies in a non-ironic way. The IMDB message boards enlightened me.

Once you figure out that it's impossible to like the man, you can't help but love him.

Bravo! That's at least as Zen as the awful 'What does it take to change the essence of a man?' bit that you referenced.

[–] ThingyBlahBlah3 18 years ago

It's been a while I saw this movie, and it was just recently that I discovered what a nice actor Billy Bob Thorton is. But I can't quite put my finger on who he plyed in ODG. Throw me a bone here. Cheers, and take care.

He was one of R. Lee Ermey's military guys. He's got a bit toward the end about whether to keep the stock of his gun in or out, and he gets blowed up real good by Seagal's exploding elevator trick. I like to think that he used his paycheck from "On Deadly Ground" to finance "Sling Blade" a few years later.

And I'll add that he and Mike Starr shared some scenes in last year's not-so-great "The Ice Harvest".

[–] Mr. Majestyk 18 years ago

That obviously adlibbed bit of business was far-and-away the best part of the movie. (From the standpoint of actual objective quality, of course. If we’re talking about camp value, nothing beats the bar fight. And I mean EVER.) I love that Billy Bob managed to sneak this subversive little gem of a performance into Seagal’s massive egofest. Steve must have really liked him. I mean, none of the other henchmen even had lines, but Billy Bob gets to make up his own dialogue? Priceless.